BVG: Verdi Strike Days Cost the Transport Operator 28.5 Million Euros

Berlin's public-transport operator BVG puts the price of this year's Verdi warning strikes at 28.5 million euros, Berliner Kurier reported on 14/15 October 2026. The company says the figure covers fare revenue losses as well as costs for stand-by staff and extra traffic planning on days when U-Bahn, bus and tram services were partly or fully halted. The number is bitter for the BVG because it coincides with cuts the Berlin Senate wants to impose on its subsidy. CDU-SPD finance politicians argue that the strike losses show the company must become more efficient; unions counter that the strikes were a reaction to understaffing and overload. The dispute shapes expectations for the next collective-bargaining round, with further walkouts possible if talks fail again.